


The Proposal

by FaeOrabel



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Assistant Draco Malfoy, Based on The Proposal, DMLE | Department of Magical Law Enforcement (Harry Potter), Direct Lines and Quotes from The Proposal, Dramione Romcom Fest, F/M, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, It'll get more original later on, Lawyer Hermione Granger, Ministry of Magic Employee Draco Malfoy, Ministry of Magic Employee Hermione Granger, Not Canon Compliant, POV Alternating, POV Draco Malfoy, POV Hermione Granger, Prompt: The Proposal, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, based on a movie, don't come for me, marriage law
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:48:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27059794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaeOrabel/pseuds/FaeOrabel
Summary: When Head of Creatures Division of the DMLE, Hermione Granger, is pushed into a corner regarding a new marriage law she doesn't want to comply with, she gets the brilliant idea to stage an engagement with her long time, loyal assistant, Draco Malfoy. Draco goes along with the charade on the condition she gets him promoted to a new position.A deal set, they prepare to fool not only the Minister of Magic, but Hermione's best friend, and Draco's entire family.What could go wrong? Just the threat of Azkaban should they fail.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 10
Kudos: 35
Collections: Dramione RomCom Fest





	The Proposal

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [DramioneRomComFest](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DramioneRomComFest) collection. 



> **Prompt:** The Proposal (2009) - claimed by FaeOrabel
> 
> This is for the amazing Dramione RomCom Fest created by QuinTalon and NuclearNik! Thank you both for all you do!
> 
> I took a more direct approach to the movie, twisting it here and there to fit into the wonderful world of Harry Potter. You will see some spliced, butchered, and direct lines from the movie. I just couldn't help myself with some of them, they were too good to change. Chapters after chapter One will get more original as the story progresses, I promise. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Big big big thank you -- like gigantic, huge, ginormous thank you to my alpha, WordsmithMusings, my support system, KoraKwidditch, and my cheerleaders, ArielSakura and noxsoulmate. Thanks all, love you all so so much. xoxox
> 
> big thanks to KelliMoore who made the lovely cover for this story!
> 
> this work is completely unbeta'd rn, so all mistakes are mine and a bottle of moscato.

**The Proposal**

_Chapter One: The Dismissal_

~by FaeOrabel~

* * *

**Draco POV**

It was another beautiful Thursday morning, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and Draco’s wand alarm didn’t go off. 

And Draco’s wand alarm didn’t go off. 

“Shit!” he shouted as he looked blearily at his watch on his nightstand. 

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he jumped out of bed and into his closet, picking out the first suit he could find and throwing his daily work robes over top of it. If there was one thing he could never be, it was late. 

Not once, in the three years he’d had this position, was Draco late. Thankfully, he’d gotten so used to the intricacies of the job by now, that he could do them on autopilot.

He ran down the street, making it to the apparition point and spinning quickly on his heel. Landing just outside of the Leaky Cauldron, he plowed his way through the little hovel and out into Muggle London. Not for the first time, Draco thanked Merlin that Starbucks was so close to the entryway into Diagon Alley. He crossed the street around honking cars and ran inside. 

“Great,” he grumbled to himself, looking at the line he usually dodged when he woke up on time. 

“Drake!” one of the regular baristas called. 

Draco looked up and she was holding the two most precious things on the earth at that moment. He skipped around the angry patrons and threw some Muggle bills on the counter in front of her. 

Grabbing both coffees, “You are literally saving my life right now.”

“You can thank me by using what I’ve written on your cup sometime,” she winked at him. 

He didn’t have time to digest what she was saying as he ran out of the coffee shop and back across the street. He slipped into the Leaky and practically jumped head first into the Floo. 

Landing with a couple other people in the Floo arrival area of the Ministry, he looked around. He ran over to the check-in desk, skipping the line once again, and handed the usual attendant his wand. It was part of his parole that he not be allowed his wand at work, and his magic was closely monitored outside of which. 

Seeing the closest lift not totally full to capacity, he ran across the lobby and jammed himself between the doors as they were closing. 

“Everyone okay?”

A small chorus of “yeahs” were heard behind him as he checked over his clothes for any spills. 

“Yeah, me too,” Draco mumbled and took a deep breath as the doors clanged and the lift took them up to their desired floors. 

Walking into the DLME Creatures Division, he passed by the receptionist at a quick pace, no longer all out running now that he was where he needed to be. 

“Cutting it a little close this morning,” Vane called to him as he breezed by.

“You think?” Draco snorted. “Thanks for that, Captain Obvious.”

Just then, Draco regretted turning his head back just to be his usual snarky self, for the mail wizard was passing by with a cart full and rammed right into his distracted form. 

“Sweet Merlin! Are you kidding me?” Draco yelled at the man, who sheepishly backed up and moved on without so much as an apology.

Making his way over to his desk, Draco placed the still drinkable cup down and threw the other away. His cubicle was right outside  _ her _ office, the perfect distance for a slave—err, assistant—to be nearby and at beck and call. Rushing over to Theo Nott’s desk, he interrupted the man’s portable floo call. 

“I need the shirt off your back. Literally,” Draco asked. 

“I could just  _ scourgefy _ you,” Theo chuckled. “For a price.”

“Two tickets. Box seats. Harpies vs Magpies. This weekend. You have five seconds to decide. Five. Four. Three. Two. One,” Draco bargained. 

With a pleased look, a nod of his head, and a swish of his wand, Theo vanished the spilled coffee from every stitch of Draco’s clothing and even ironed out the wrinkles he managed to make on his run into work. 

“You’re the best,” Draco tossed over his shoulder as he went back to his desk in time to hear the telltale ding from his memo box. 

“Just don’t forget the tickets,” Theo called and then busily pretended to be working. 

“ _ It’s here!” _ flashed across the paper taped to his cubicle. 

Draco got the idea from Granger’s little coins back in fifth year, except he made it better. A single sheet of paper that everyone in the office was connected to, where they could send instant messages to each other. They mostly used it to warn each other about their boss, but sometimes they employed it for actual work, too. 

Draco walked into her office and placed that morning’s Prophet on her desk, along with a report that needed to be looked over. He held the coffee up and ready to be handed off just as she walked through the door. 

“Morning, boss,” Draco greeted. “Conference Floo in thirty minutes.”

“Yep,” Hermione Granger, head of the division said back, storing her portable Floo in her purse and taking her coffee. “It’s about the spring migration of unicorns, I know.”

“Staff meeting at 9:00,” Draco continued. 

“Yeah, did you Floo—ugh, what’s her name—the one, the one with the—ugly hands?” 

“Bathilda?”

“Bathilda, yes,” Hermione confirmed, opening up the Prophet to the business section.

“Yes, I did. I told her if she doesn’t get her report in on time, then we won’t give the Mediterranean mermaids permission to cross borders for better fishing grounds. Also, the Auror office called, they wanted to set up a meeting. Again. They said that it’s imperative that you meet with them.”

“Yes, yes, cancel the call, push the meeting to tomorrow, and keep my lawyer on standby. Oh, and Floo the Prophet and start having them draft a press release. Severus is doing PATIL Squared.”

“Wow,” Draco’s eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. “Nicely done.” 

He knew his godfather, and the last thing that recluse ever wanted to do was go on some Wizarding Wireless show about his new ways of sustainable, animal-friendly potion making. Even Draco wouldn’t have been able to swing that and they were practically family. 

“If I want your praise, I will ask for it,” Hermione commented, throwing down the Prophet, picking up the report and her coffee. She swiveled in her chair to the secondary desk she kept behind her, setting the report down and taking a hearty sip. 

Somehow, and Draco still wasn’t sure how, she’d gotten permission to use a typewriter instead of doing all her work by parchment and quill. 

Draco started walking out to his desk, content that she didn’t notice his morning had started off late, when she called over his shoulder. He froze and turned to her “Um.”

“Who is Jillian? And why does she want me to call her?” Hermione asked, turning the coffee cup around so Draco could clearly see the baristas name— _ that’s what her name was _ —scrawled across it with a number written underneath. 

_ So, that’s what she meant this morning _ , Draco thought to himself, thinking back on her strange comment.  _ Honesty is the best policy _ .

“Well, that was originally my cup,” Draco answered, stepping backwards slightly. 

“And I’m drinking your coffee, why?” Hermione asked, looking ready to judge him for whatever came out of his mouth next. Draco didn’t think he could come up with anything in two seconds that would justify his statement, so he just went with the truth again. 

“Because your coffee spilled,” he answered with a slight trepidation, knowing what was to come. 

Hermione nodded, still holding the coffee aloft as she took another sip to confirm the flavor. An amused smirk stretched across her face. “And it’s just a coincidence that you also drink half-caf, cinnamon soy lattes with a pump of vanilla?”

“It is. I enjoy them. It’s like a snickerdoodle in a cup,” Draco cleared his throat. “I mean I wouldn’t possibly drink the same coffee as you drink on the off chance that yours spilled. That would be pathetic.” 

Saved by the ringing of Hermione’s office desk-Floo, Draco quickly walked over and answered it.

“Morning,” Draco answered, watching as Hermione turned back around to her typewriter, “Miss Granger’s office.” Draco cringed at the voice on the other end of the miniature Floo. “Hey, Cormac.”

Hermione waved at Draco over her shoulder. 

“Actually, we are headed to your office right now,” Draco hung up the desk-Floo, confused. Addressing Hermione, “why are we headed to Cormac’s office?”

Spinning around once more, Hermione pursed her lips and smacked them together in a disappointed fashion. Draco knew that was absolutely not good for Cormac. He smacked his lips back and went to get a notepad—another one of Granger’s doing’s and much easier than parchment—from his desk. 

He quickly wrote on the memo paper connected to everyone, “THE WITCH IS ON HER BROOM.”

Looking up, he sighed in relief as he watched everyone read his memo and get back to work instead of socializing and slacking off. 

Hermione came out of her office just then. She was taking another sip of coffee as Draco walked up beside her and followed her the short walk to Cormac’s office. 

“Did you read that proposal I gave you?” Draco asked as Hermione ran a hand through her hair, she’d had it styled since their time at Hogwarts and now it fell in easy, large ringlets much like a princess. 

“Yeah, I read a couple pages. It didn’t really seem worth my time,” she answered, taking a sip of coffee. 

“Can I say something?” Draco sighed. 

“No.”

“I’ve read thousands of reports since becoming your assistant, and this is the only one I’ve personally given you. There’s an incredible lawsuit in there, the kind of lawsuit that could bring about some real change to our world, the kind of change you used to pursue.”

“How would you know? You don’t even like creatures. Remember Buckbeak?” Hermione countered. 

Draco swallowed, “That was a miscalculation of my rather dramatic youth.”

“I see,” Hermione raised an eyebrow. “Well, you’re correct there, and I do think you buy the same coffee as I do just in case mine spills, and you’re right there as well. It is, in fact, pathetic.”

“Or impressive,” Draco countered.

“I’d be impressed if you didn’t spill it in the first place. Are you a wizard or not?”

They reached Cormac’s office then, so Draco wasn’t able to say anything else on the matter because, once again, she bested him in a battle of wits. 

“Remember, you’re a prop in here,” Hermione whispered as Draco opened the door for her. 

“Don’t say a word, got it,” Draco confirmed and followed her inside. 

Draco stood near the door as Hermione walked to the center of the large, but not as large as hers, office. Cormac was just under her in this division, the Deputy Head. Unfortunately for him, he was nowhere near as good as Hermione at her job. Hence, everyone’s utter and complete fear of her throughout the floor. 

“Ah, our fearless leader and her liege. Please, do come in,” Cormac greeted, and Draco could taste the hint of sarcasm on the man’s lips. Draco knew Cormac didn’t like working under Hermione, a total misogynist in his viewpoint, but the guy could try and make it less obvious. 

“Ah, beautiful breakfront,” Hermione said as she walked over to the recently polished piece of furniture, “Is it new?”

“It is English Regency, built in the 1800’s, but yes, it is new to my office,” Cormac steepled his fingers as he leaned forward in his chair and placed his elbows on his desk. 

“Hmm, witty,” Hermione muttered and Draco internally cringed. “Cormac, I’m gonna have to let you go.”

Draco spun his head around so fast, he thought he felt his neck crack. 

Cormac’s eyes drifted between Draco and Hermione, as if looking for the joke. “Pardon?” 

“I asked you a dozen times to get Snape to do PATIL, and you didn’t do it. You’re fired,” Hermione said plainly. 

Draco glanced between the two of them, wondering if he was about to be caught in the middle of a duel. He slowly closed Cormac’s office door, making sure it latched shut. 

“I have told you that is impossible,” Cormac started, standing up and putting a hand on his hip, “Snape hasn’t done an interview in twenty years, since right before his start as a Professor.”

“Well, that is interesting because I Floo’d him this morning, and he’s in.”

Draco crossed his arms over his chest, his hand coming up to rest beneath his chin, as his eyes bounced between the two like a tennis match. 

“Excuse me?” Cormac asked, incredulous.

“You didn’t even  _ try _ to Floo him, did you?” 

“But…”

“I know, I know. Someone like Snape can be a little scary to deal with,” Hermione walked toward Cormac and away from his breakfront, “For you. Now,” she picked up a book from his desk, “I will give you two months to find another job, and then you can tell everyone that you resigned. Okay?”

Hermione handed the book off to Draco and continued on her path out of Cormac’s office as the newly jobless man stood there, staring at the spot she’d just vacated. 

Looking down at the title of the book, he saw one of Lovegood’s new creature novels she’d written with her husband Rolf Scamander, and followed her out the door. They started walking down the line of cubicles back to her office.

“What’s he look like?” Hermione whispered to Draco, not looking back.

“He’s pacing, he’s got crazy eyes. He’s about to pop,” Draco narrated for her as he watched Cormac rush to his door. 

“Don’t do it, Cormac,” Hermione groaned, “Don’t do it.”

Flying out of his office, Draco and Hermione stopped walking and turned to Cormac as he started his onslaught. 

“You poisonous bitch!” 

Everyone on the floor stopped working— or pretending to work— and all eyes turned toward them to watch the horrific scene play out. 

“You can’t fire me!” Hermione leaned against a cubicle and folded her lips between her teeth. Draco walked over and sat on the nearest desk to watch the man dig his own grave. “You don’t think I see what you’re doing here? You’re sandbagging me on this Snape thing just so that you can look good to the board, because you are threatened by me! And you are a monster, just like the ones you say you represent.”

“Cormac, stop,” Hermione mumbled, looking amused by his temper tantrum. 

“Just because you have no semblance of a life outside of your job, you think that you can treat all of us like your own personal house elves. You know what, I feel sorry for you, because you know what you’re going to have at your deathbed? Nothing and no one. I bet anyone matched to you for this new Marriage Law the Wizengamot is passing would immediately Avada themselves upon seeing your name.”

Draco winced and closed his eyes for a brief moment, marveling at the fact Hermione didn’t pull her wand on him right then and there. Rather, she took one deep breath and one small step toward Cormac. 

“Listen carefully, Cormac. I didn’t fire you because I feel threatened,” Cormac scoffed at this, but Hermione pressed on without acknowledging it, “I fired you because you’re lazy, entitled, incompetent, and you spend more time cheating on your wife than you do in the office. And if you say another word, Draco here is going to have you thrown out on your ass. Okay?”

Cormac tried to interject, but Hermione graciously cut him off, “Another word, and you are going out of here with an armed escort. Draco will take documented notes of it and will immediately sell the story to the Prophet for front page morning news. Is that what you want?” At Cormac’s silence as he looked over Draco and then back to Hermione, she continued, “Didn’t think so. I have work to do.” 

She turned around, flipping her curls elegantly, and started strutting away. Draco got up and followed once again. 

“Have Auror security take his breakfront out of his office and put it in mine by lunchtime,” Hermione said. 

Draco thought it was fitting revenge for the scene he caused, “Will do.”

“I need you around this weekend to help review his reports and his cases.”

“This weekend?” Draco stuttered in his walk as they reached her office door. 

“Do you have an issue with that?” Hermione asked, looking like she was on her last straw before she flipped out herself. 

“No, it’s just—it’s my grandmother’s ninetieth birthday, so I was going to go home.” Hermione walked away at that, as if his excuse wasn’t worth her time. “It’s fine. I’ll cancel, You’re actually saving me from a weekend of misery.” Draco called at her back, knowing he was going to get an ear full from his mother. 

She shut her door. 

“Good talk, yep,” Draco said to himself and walked over to his desk to make the dreaded call. 

  
  



End file.
